Hello fellow sufferers of vertigo/dizziness etc

New here, let me introduce myself 🤝
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Just a bit of a rant here.

I was diagnosed with an ear infection in my right ear August 2020. Shortly after developed tinnitus in both ears. Since then have had constant fluid in both ears with a couple ear infections here and there. Antibiotics and steroids may help with infection but not the tinnitus or fluid in ears. Nasal sprays and decongestants dont seem to help.

Ofcourse this has left me with chronic vertigo and dizzy spells which as all or most of you know sucks big time. Its debillitating. For the past 3 or 4 weeks it’s hit me really hard but I havent been to doc because i dont have insurance. The past 4 or 5 times I’ve been, all tests are normal but I may be a bit pre hypertensive (im 45 and around 20 lbs overweight, smoker. Resting bp is always normal with my home bp machine). So I figure if I go to doc it will be same outcome and I’ll just be out more money i dont have to spare. I just wish a doc would look in my ears and not charge me over $100 to do so. Uuugh :pensive:

Anyway i felt good this morning, had around 15 oz of strong coffee, then on my way to town boom the vertigo sat in. And here i go with another, “oh crap am I going to have a stroke or heart attack”, situation. Ive already seen a couple of you on here who can relate to that. Im wondering if the caffeine caused it.

Im not on any prescription meds…no illegal drugs or marijuana. I drink beer probably more often than i should but have cut back to maybe a 6pk a week. Ofcourse smoking is stupid. I feel pins and needles on my extremities at times but can’t tell if it’s just anxiety. Since my ear deal I’ve developed pretty bad anxiety and a couple panic attacks.

I take milk thistle, b complex, thiamin, zinc, low dose asprin, magnesium oxide, iron, fish oil, vit C. Not everyday but thats what i have.

Anyway, i guess thats about it. Feeling a little better since I ate part of a steak sandwich and some sweet tea. Its all a guessing game and just so tiring. My grandmother had type 1 diabetes but as I said all the tests I’ve had come out normal even for thyroid.

I guess I should add that I haven’t had any type of vaccines since I was a child, so all of that can be ruled out. Haven’t had covid either as far as I know but haven’t been tested. Have never dealt with ear problems since I was a child but that was just swimmers ear I believe…no tubes in ears or anything.

Looking forward to reading on some topics here and maybe learning some new info that could be helpful. Thank you for reading :blush:.

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Mine started with an ear problem on one side, so can relate. Hang in there and try to leave ears well alone. Follow the advised protocols to control symptoms, do everything conservatively.

A nurse once said to me “ear problems take a long time to heal” … a more useful statement than any doctor ever made.

I suspect that ears (being so critical to your function) can overreact to infection and cause secondary problems with their reaction.

Hang in there … it will get better, it will just take time, a lot of time!

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Wow, yeah, i havent heard that but it certainly makes sense and actually does make me feel a bit better about my ears situation. Thank you!

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I’ve had tinnitus most of my life due to TBI, but when the dizziness kicked in last fall, the tinnitus got louder. Head pressure seems to contribute to it as well. I’ve started taking pycnogenol (french maritime pine bark) for which there is a bit of medical evidence (Improvement in cochlear flow with Pycnogenol® in patients with tinnitus: a pilot evaluation - PubMed) – it’s also supposed to help with circulation. It’s only been a month, so the change has been minimal, though when I stopped taking it, the tinnitus seemed to rebound a bit. Unfortunately, it’s expensive ($50/month for 150 mg daily). I’m going to give it another couple of months. Like many supplements, it works for some people and not at all for others, and I’m hoping it proves worth the cost!

For medical care, any chance there’s a free or low-cost clinic nearby? I have insurance, but when I didn’t, I used community clinics. If there’s a medical school nearby, then there is also very likely a clinic where med students are getting contact hours. They tend to be pretty nice b/c they aren’t burned out yet, and if they’re volunteering in community clinics, they usually believe in the importance of healthcare for everyone.

Caffeine is a trigger for a lot of people (I’m not one of them, though since VM, I’ve cut my coffee down to 1 strong cup in the morning) and I’ve also cut back on drinking (hello, fellow beer enthusiast :beers: :grin:!). I found a couple brands who produce a decent NA beer – BrewDog and Athletic. I prefer IPAs and both make a good NA IPA. When I want a drink, but really don’t want to add any more alcohol to a dizzy brain – I opt for an NA brew. I find they taste a lot like session beers, but with a much lighter mouthfeel compared to the real thing.

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Mine also started with an ear infection. For me it took about 2 years for my right ear to feel somewhat normal again. I had the fullness and pressure and ear popping and occasionally pain. I couldn’t lay on my bad ear (right side) for over 2 years without bringing on vertigo. I am just now practicing laying on my right side. I know it sounds weird to say that but I have had to do therapy to be able to tell my brain it’s ok to lay on my right side again. I think for a lot of symptoms they linger not because of the actual event but because your brain malfunctions and automatically thinks it’s in danger after experiencing such trauma. If you don’t have a lot of money, check out The Steady Coach on you tube! She’s great, at first I was like this is a crock of crap but I took her course and since then have been feeling so much better!

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Thank you for taking the time to chime in! I am just now seeing i have some replies…means alot :blush:.

Sorry you are dealing with similar junk. I haven’t equated my tinnitus with dizziness but at random times it will get louder in one ear for a few seconds…such as if i physically strain myself or even just bending down. I do feel some pressures in my head at times like you do…I’ve wondered if my head is just packed with snot and gunk but nothing i have done has cleared it up, if theres anything to clear up.

I havent heard of the pine bark but i have definitely heard of white pine needle tea, which is also supposed to decrease inflammation and improve circulation. Im actually going to order some today as ive been intending to do. The only reason i havent ordered any is because i live in an area where there are white pine trees and ive been meaning to scout some out but my procrastinating butt hasnt put the goal in action (face palm).

I did recommend the tea to an elderly lady who felt she was affected by the co vid ja bs. She began having a hard time walking due to knee pain…she has previously had both knees replaced. A week after she began drinking a cup per day she was sleeping better and her knee pain decreased.

I dont see what the difference in the pine bark and needles would be. Wild guess the bark you mentioned is also from a white pine tree but I’ll look into that and thank you for the suggestion!

My problem with healthcare is im self employed. I make too much for assistance and not enough for my own insurance. I do need to check into a local health department atleast. My doc office charges $130 per visit after a self pay discount :crazy_face:.

I usually just have some coors light or modelo but have considered near beer :grinning:. I definitely do not drink anything when dizzy but man, cant do the hangovers anymore…wanna talk about feeling extra dizzy and on verge of dying? Yeah…not worth it :woozy_face:. Going to have a couple later on today probably so cheers to you! :beers:

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Thank you! Did you take any medicines such as antibiotics/steroids/decongestants etc or suppliments/herbs? Or do you think the therapy pretty much did the trick?